onepharm is a Vienna, Austria based innovative dental-pharmaceutical company.

October 29, 2007

onepharm signs cooperation agreement with Minophagen, Japan

Vienna – 29th October 2007 - – onepharm, a young Viennese biotech company specialised in the development of antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs, has just successfully finalised an exclusive strategic cooperation agreement with the Japanese pharmaceutical company Minophagen.

Minophagen, with headquarters in Tokyo, is a medium-sized pharmaceutical company that has successfully marketed a product for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C on the Japanese market and other Asian markets for several decades. In order to register the drug in Europe, a phase 3 study for chronic Hepatitis C has just been finalised. Under the companies code OPM-3001, onepharm has been developing the active ingredient of this drug in the indication of influenza since 2006.

"The cooperation agreement that has just been signed provides us with exclusive access to the entire preclinical and clinical data package, as well as to the market product of Minophagen for our influenza development", states a pleased Dr Küenburg, CEO of onepharm. "We can thus very quickly begin with a phase 2 study of the active ingredient in influenza, as soon as the animal studies that are currently underway have confirmed the previously demonstrated efficacy in other animal models." The product, formulated as ready to use ampoule for intravenous application, would be particularly suited for treatment of patients during a pandemic outbreak, and could be included by governments in their stockpiling programmes and severe, life threatening cases of influenza. Minophagen’s GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) production capacities will ensure both clinical trial medication and market supply.

In return for the provided data and GMP product, Minophagen will receive royalties on sales in Europe and America, while Minophagen has reserved marketing rights for Asia, with royalty payments on Asian sales to onepharm.

"The cooperation with onepharm offers Minophagen very attractive new marketing options for our main product, going far beyond hepatic indications ", Dr Sato, Executive Vice President of Minophagen, states. "We are delighted that, with onepharm, we have found a trustworthy and competent partner for further interesting R&D projects."

The entry of the lead project OPM-3001 into clinical Phase II has been scheduled for the flu season 2008/2009. In addition, onepharm has started projects in the area of improved formulations and other indications. ”It is our goal to exploit the immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory potential of OPM-3001 and some of its derivatives", Küenburg explains. "As there are strong indications that the activity of OPM-3001 against influenza is not only due to an antiviral, but also an anti-inflammatory effect, this innovative flu remedy could be an important additional treatment option in the fight against this viral disease with pandemic potential.”

About onepharm

onepharm was founded jointly by the management and Green Hills Biotechnology in 2005. The company is specialised in the development of the lead candidate OPM-3001 in influenza indication and new indications, as well as in the improvement of existing formulations. In addition, new derivatives of the OPM-3001 are produced and tested against various viral or inflammatory diseases in a medical-chemical programme (ASPEX Vienna) funded by the ZIT (Zentrum für Innovation and Technologie GmbH) of the City of Vienna. To this date, total funds amounting to more than 5.5 million EUR, some in the form of risk capital, but also as loans and public subsidies, could be procured.